Ironing machine



Feb. 19,1924o 1,483,949

- J. F. PATTON ET AL IRONING MACHINE Fil ed Nov. 24 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 2 5 JIMEJ F PA Tram, JflH/V 5. m L /J TER D attoznc q Patented Feb. 19, 192%.

JAMES F. PATTON AND JOHN E. MCALLISTER, F CLEVEL I: OHIO, ASSIG-NORS 1'0 THE PATTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

IRONING MACHINE.-

Application filed November 24, 1919. Serial No. 340,115.

To all whom it may concern: frame having end pieces 1 to one leg of Be it known that we, J AMES F. PATION which ispivoted a pedal 2 which is normally I55 and J OHN E. MoAmsrnn, both citizens of supported by a spring 3 connecting the pedal the United States, residing at Cleveland, to the supporting frame. Pivoted to the 5 Ohio, have invented certain new and useful pedal is an upwardly extending bar 4: which Improvements in Ironing Machines, of passes through an aperture 6 in the board or which the following is a specification. table 5 which receives the material after as The invention relates particularly to that being ironed. Pivoted on a bearing 7 in the class of ironing machines which include it end piece 1 is an angle lever having an arm 1 heated curved metallic shoe which co-oper- 8 to which is connected the bar 4 by a pin 55. ates with a rotating cylinder. In such a The upper arm 9 of the anglelever carries machine the roll is generally covered with a pivot 10 for alink 11 the other end of 5 a soft layer of felt or other similar mawhich engages a pivot 12 at the lower endof terial over which may be placed a sheet a lever 13 mounted on a bearing 14 on the 15 of cloth. It is customary in such m'aend piece 1. The upper end of the lever 13 chines to provide mechanism for forcing has pivoted to it a plug 15 from which pro 1 together the shoe and roll and for sepa jectsa stem 16 into a socket 17 projecting 75 rating them. A motor or other suitable from a bearing block '18 for the ironing roll mechanism is provided for rotating the roll 19. The plug 15 and the bearing block 18 9 and in some cases mechanism is provided for are each provided with screw threads to enfreeing the roll from the motor so that the gage a spring 20 which surrounds the socket roll may be stopped from rotation without 17 and holds the stem 16 in the socket. In 75 stopping the motor. 7 In order to work satisthe en piece 1 are guide ways 21 on which factorily it has been found necessary or .dethe bearing 18 for the roll may slide. Back sirable to insert a spring in the mechanism of the roll 19 is a curved metal shoe 22 which holds the shoe and roll together in mounted in the end pieces 1 and provided such a way that it will becapable of allowwith a gas burner 23 extending from end to 80 ing some relief when materials of, varying end of the shoe as is well known in the art. thickness are passed between the roll and The end nieces 1 have forwardly projeet= shoe in the process of ironing. Associated ing arms 24 carrying bearings 25 for the with the roll and shoe is generally a feeding lugs 26 which carry a feeding board or table table from which the clothes to be ironed 27. In thearms 24: are sockets 28 in which 85 may be fed to the roll. In the'preferred are seated coil springs 29 on the upper ends form of the present invention this table is of which rest lugs 30 to support the board 27 normally horizontal and admits of a very and hold it approximately horizontal. Deslight tilting motion under ressure. The pending from the board 27 on the other side arrangement may be such t at the tilting of the pivot 25 fromthe lug 30 is a lug 31' 2 movement may effect a separation of the 'carrymg a link 32 provided at its lower end 11 a d hoe, with a slot 33 into which extends the pin 55.

' 40 In the accompanying drawings is shown The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is at the one embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 left end of the ironing machine and the is a transverse vertical section of the ironing levers 8, 9 and 13 together with the link 11 machine. Fig. 2 is a similar transverse verand the rod 4 are inside of the end pieces 1. tical section showing the roll and shoe in The pin 55 extends through a slot in the contact with each other. Fig. 3 is a longiframe 1 and its projecting end is engaged b tudinal vertical section of a portion of the the link.32 which is Without or to the le t machine showing the mechanism by which of the end piece 1. I All of the mechanism we the roll is rotated. Fig. 4.- is a side elevation shown in Fig. 1 excepting. the link 32 and its of a bearing for one end of the roll together associated parts is preferably duplicated at with a portion of the apparatus associated the right hand end of the machine and the therewith. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the link 32 may also be duplicated there but th1s ironing machine. is not necessary. 10a

The machine shown includes a supporting The apparatus 1s normally 1n the posishown in Fig. lto the springs 20. The springs tion indicated in Fig. 1. Pressure upon'the pedal 2 extends the spring 3 and causes the rod 4 to pull down upon the pin 55 thereby forcing toward the left the pin 10 which through the link 11 forces the lever 13 to turn upon its pivot and press the plug 15 against the spring 20 which as it compresses forces .the bearing 18 of the roll to slideto the right in Fig. 1 thereby bringing the roll 19 into engagement with the shoe 22. The apparatus is thus brought into the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the spring 20 is compressed and there would be a tendency to force the sapparatus to return to theposition shown in Fig. 1 unless some means were provided to lock the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 2. In passing from the position position of Fig. 2 the pivot 10 passes from above a line joining the pivot 7 to the pivot12 to a posltion below that line. The pivot 10 then being past the dead center efliciently locks the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 2. Pressure may now be removed from the pedal 2 and it will remain depressed. If the operator places the foot or something else under the pedal 2 and lifts, the pivot 10 will be forced back above the line joining the centers'of the pivots 7 and 12 and the spring 20 will return the apparatus to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the slot 33 in the link 11 is so arranged that it engages the pin 55 only when the said pin is in its lowermost posl tion" as indicated in Fig. 2. Downward pressure on' the outer edge of the board 27 (toward the left in Fig. 2) will compress the spring 29 and cause the slot 33 to engage and raise the pin 55 from the position shown in Fig. 2 so far as to cause the pin 10 to move past the dead center and so allow the spring 20 to withdraw the roll 19 from the shoe 22 with a'snap. I

There is no rigid connection between the plugs 15 and the bearing boxes 18 but both the forward and backward movement of the roll is accomplished through the connecting are kept from creeping one way or the other by stops 53 cast at the ends of the screwthreads 1n the plugs 15 and bearing boxes 18. As as sembled the plugs and bearing boxes are screwed into the spring as far as the stops 53 will allow and they remain in such relative positions.

.Fig. 3 shows the arrangement provided at the right hand end of the machine for rotating the roll. This apparatus might be 7 duplicated at the left end of the roll or might be there alone. Passing through the bearing block 18 is the shaft 34 on which the roll 19 is rigidly mounted. A clutch member 35 having a key way sliding on a key 54 on the shaft 34 has a collar 36 be shifted longitudinally on the shaft 34. Carrying a co-operating clutch is a gear 37 loose on the shaft 34. The gear 37 "engages a pinion 38 carried by a worm wheel 39 which engages a worm by which it may 40 rotated by a pulley 41 through a belt 42 running to a motor 43 suitably supported on the end piece 1. Adjacent the shaft 34 1s a socket '44 in the end piece 1 having projecting side walls 45. At the bottom of the socket 4-4 is a coil spring 46 on which rests a plug 47 through which extend rods 48 and 49 into guide ways 50 as more clearly indicated in Fig. 4. The rod 49 extends upward into the collar 36 of the clutch member 35 and the'rod 48 extends upward so that its'upper end may be engaged by the the bearing block 18 to slide upon the guide ways 21. When in the position shown in Fig.1 the cam 51 carried by the bearing block 18 will engage the rod 48 and as indicated in Fig. 3 the rod 49 pressed in the collar 36 will hold the clutch member 35 out of en agement with the clutch member carried hy thegear 37. When, however, the roll is moved into the position indicated in Fig. 2 the cam 51 carried by the bearing block 18 will be forced back past the in 48 as indicated in Fig. 4. In this position the spring 46 will force outward the plug 47 and cause the rod 49 to force the clutch member '35 into engagement with the clutch member carried by the gear 37 thus causing the roll to be rotated by the motor 43.

The teeth on the gear 37 and 38 are so cut that they are not in tight contact but there the gear 37 to move slightly without coming out of engagement with the gear 38. Thus the gear 37 may be moved from the position it will occupy when the roll is in the position indicated in Fig. 1 to the position it will occupy when the roll is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 without causing the teeth of the gear to become disengaged from the teeth in the gear 37 It will thus be seen that for operation the switch 52 may be turned to start the motor. The roll may be forced into engagement with the shoe and cause it to rotate by pressing down upon the pedal 2. Pushing up upon the pedal 2 or pushing down upon the front edge of the feeding table 27 will cause is suflicient playbetween the teeth to allow thus available the'roll to recede from the shoe and to cease rotating while the motor continues to operate.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 it will be noted that the bearing at the upper end of the rod 4 does not come into contact with the link 11. Also the hearing by which the lever 13 engages'the plug 15 does not come into contact with the adjacent portion of the upwardly extending arm 24 of the end piece 1. The metallic clatter which would be caused by these parts coming into contact with each other when the apparatus is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 is thereby avoided. Moreover it will be seen ,1 that this arrangement allows the spring 20 to be entirely expanded in the released position of Fig. 1 when there is no compression on the spring. This may have a tendency to increase the efiiciency of the spring and at the same time increase its life.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 the feeding table 27, alone, or together with the roll 19 which is adjacent the feeding table, forms a convenient surface on which the clothes may be arranged previous to the actual ironing operation. For instance, pieces which it may be desirable to fold before ironing may be conveniently folded here. It will be remembered that in the position shown in. Fig. 1 the roll 19 is inert being freed from the rotating apparatus driven by the motor 43. Consequently the folding and the positioning of the goods to be ironed may be 1 conveniently effected without the inconvenience and possible interruption which might be caused by the drum 19 if it were rotating. Moreover in this condition the drum 19 1s free to turn and may be turned in either direction an to any extent and at any suitable speed by the hand of the operator. This is convenient inmany instances where it is desirable to place the material to be ironed upon the roller and advance it initially part way into the space between the roll and the shoe 22 so that when the apparatus is brought into the ironing position shown in Fig. 2 the material may be promptly gripped between the roll and shoe and consequently fed through the ironing machine without disarranging the folds or other preliminary arrangement of the clothes. The clutch and driving mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 are so'arranged that the drum 19'is free from the rotating mechanism driven by the motor 43 when the apparatus is in the position shown in Fig. land also during most of the movement of the apparatus from that position to the position shown in Fig. 2. The clutch member 35 engages the clutch carried by the gear 37 toward the end of the movement and as the apparatus reaches the position shown in Fig. 2. The drum is for positioning the material at substantially all times excepting when the operation of ironin plac An additional a vantage of having the drawn back roll 19 freed of the motor driven rotating mechanism when the ironing operation is not taking place is that such an arrangement makes it possible conveniently to cover the roll with the necessary fabric or to make adjustments or repairs therein. After the ironing has started a sli ht pressure on the edge of the board 27 wi 1 cause the roll and shoe to separate. At the beginning of the movement the roll is freed of the motor driven mechanism and rendered inert. The clothes may now be withdrawn entirely or may be-withdrawn partly without actually removing them from the roll by rotating the roll backward as much as may be desired.

Numerous other advantages of the inven-' tion will be apparent to those versed in the art who will be able to make various changes in detail without departing from the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: I

1. In an ironing machine, a frame comprising two end pieces, a receiving board extending between the end pieces, a shoe above the board between the end pieces, a gas heater extending the whole length of the shoe toward its bottom, a roll in front of the shoe, horizontal guide ways in the end pieces, bearings v for the roll in the guide ways, threads on the bearings, sockets in the bearings, plugs entering the sorkets, threads on the plugs, springs engaging the threads on the plugs and bearings, levers pivoted to the end pieces, one end of the levers engaging-the plugs, bell crank levers pivoted to the end pieces, links connecting the ends of the levers not engaging the plugs to one arm of the bell crank levers, pins in the crank levers, one of which extends through a slot in an end piece, bars connected to. the pins, a pedal pivoted to the end pieces and connected to the bars, a spring connecting the pedal and the receiving board, a feeding board pivoted on the end pieces in front of the roll, springs between the feeding board and end pieces to keep it horizontal normally, a link on the board having a slot for engaging the pin extending through the end piece when the shoe and roll are in contact, a motor on the frame, a worm driven by the motor, a combined worm wheel and inion engaging the worm, a gear loose in the shaft of the roll loosely engaging the pinion, a clutch member on the gear wheel, a corresponding clutch member rotating with the roll shaft but sliding thereon, a socket in one of the end members adjacent the guide ways for the roll bearing. a spring in the socket, a plug on the spring in the socket. transverse rods is actually taking the plug riding in guidcways in the l other arm of the bell prising-two end pieces, a heated shoe between the end pieces, a roll in front of the de ways in the end p1eces,'bearings for the roll in the guide ways, threads on the bearings, sockets in the bearings, plugs entering the sockets, threads on the plugs, springs engaging the threads on the plugs and bearings, means for compressing the springs to hold the roll and shoe in resilient contact with each other, a motor on the frame, a worm driven by the motor, a combined worm wheel and pinion engaging the worm, a gear loose on the shaft of the roll loosely engaging the pinion, a clutch member on the gear shoe, horizontal gui wheel, a corresponding clutch member romentioned clutch the rods,

tating with the roll shaft but sliding thereon, a socket in one of the end members adjacent the guide ways for the roll bearing, a spring in the socket, a plug'on the spring in the socket, transverse rods in the plug riding in guideways in the socket, a collar on the last mentioned clutch member engaged by one of the rods, and a cam on one of the roll bearings engaging the other rod when the shoe and roll are out of contact.

3. In an ironing machine, a frame comprising two end pieces, a heated shoe be tween the end pieces, a roll in front of the shoe, horizontal guide ways in the end pieces, bearings for the roll in the guide ways, means for forcing the roll and shoe into resilient contact with each other, a motor on the frame, a worm driven by the motor, a combined worm wheel and pinion engaging the worm, a gear loose on the shaft of the roll loosely engaging the pinion, a clutch member on the gear wheel, a correspondin clutch member rotating with the roll'shaft but sliding thereon, a socket on one of the end members adjacent the guide 'ways for the roll bearing, a resilientplug in the socket, transverse rods in theplugr ding in guideways in the socket, a collar on the last member engaged by one of and a cam on one of the roll bear ings engaging the other rod when the shoe and roll are out of contac 4. In an.i roning machine, a frame comprism exten ing between the end pieces, a heated shoe above the board between the and pieces, a roll in front'of the shoe, horizontal guide ways in the end pieces, bearings for the roll in the guide ways, threads onthe bearings, sockets in the bearings, plugs entering the sockets, threads on the plugs, springs engaging the threads on the plugs and bearovers pivoted to the end pieces, one

end of the levers engaging the p crank two end pieces, a receiving board messes lugs, bell crank levers pivoted to the end pieces, links connecting the ends of the levers not engaging the plugs to one arm of the bell levers, pins in the other arm of the bell crank one of which extends through, a slot in the. endpiece, bars connected to the pins, a pedal plvoted to the end pieces and connected to the bars, a, spring connecting the pedal and the receiving board, a feeding board pivoted on the end ieces in front of the roll, springs between t e feeding board and end pieces to keep it horizontal normally,

a link on the board having 'a slot for engaging the pin extending through the end piece when the shoe and roll are in contact, a motor on the frame, and means controlled by the bell crank lever to cause the motor to rotate the roll.

5. In an ironing machine, a frame comprising two end ieces, a heated shoe between the end pieces, a roll in front of the shoe, guide ways in the end pieces, bearings for the roll in the guide ways, plugs, springs engaging the plugs and bearings,a pedal PIVOtGd'tO the end pieces, means operated by the pedal to cause the plugs to compress the springs and force the roll and shoe into contact with each other, a feeding'board pivoted on theend pieces in front of the roll, springs between the feeding board and end pieces to keep it horizontal normally, means controlled by the feeding board to separate the roll and shoe, a motor on the frame, means for causing the motor to rotate the roll, and means on one of the roll bearings controlling the means for causing the motor to rotate the roll. l

'6. In an ironing machine, a roll, a heated shoe, a pedal, means operated by'thepedal to cause the roll and shoe to be resiliently locked in contact with each other, a feeding board, and means controlled by the board to 'cause the roll and shoe to separate.

In an ironing machine, a roll, a heated shoe, a pedal, means operated by the pedal to cause the roll and shoe to be resiliently locked in contact with each other, a feeding board, means controlled by the board to cause the roll and shoe to separate, means for rotating the roll, and means controlled by the board for putting out of operation the rotating means.

8. In an ironing machine, aroll, a heated shoe,- a pedal, to cause the roll and shoe to be resiliently locked in. contact with each other, a feeding board, means controlled by the board to cause the roll and shoe to separate, a motor for rotating the roll, a motor and the roll, means to operate the clutch, and means on the roll shaft controlling the, clutch operating means.

9. In an ironing machine, a roll, a heated shoe, a feeding board, means independent means operated by the pedal clutch between the of'the board to cause the roll and shoe to be resiliently locked in contact with each other, and means controlled by the board to cause the roll and shoe to separate.

10. In an ironing machine, an inert roll, a heated shoe, a, board associated with the roll to form a material arranging surface, a pedal to cause the roll to advance toward the shoe and to rotate as it approaches the shoe, and means controlled by the board to cause the roll to recede from the shoe and remain inert.

11. In an ironing machine, a shoe, 3, roll,

means for locking the roll and shoe together,

. a ivoted feeding board, which, when tilted, 15

for forcing the JAS. F. PATTONQ JOHN E. McALLISTER. 

